Brier seeking county funds for purchasing parkland

A 5.17-acre parcel of land at Poplar Way and Hickory Way sought by the City of Brier

The City of Brier is seeking just under $1 million of a $25 million grant fund that Snohomish County will divvy up and give to local jurisdictions to purchase land parcels for open space and parks.

Brier officials get their turn on Tuesday at persuading the Snohomish County Conservation Futures Program Advisory Board to grant them $999,392 from the $25 million fund. Brier would use the money to purchase two parcels of wooded, undeveloped land in the city to preserve as parkland.

“Preservation of these lands will ensure the community far into the future that there will still be some urban forest and wetland settings to visit and explore,” said Brier Mayor Bob Colinas.

Brier is seeking $723,820 for the purchase of a 5.17-acre parcel northeast of Brier Park along the east side of Poplar Way. The city’s request also includes $275,572 for the purchase of a two-acre parcel along Lyon Creek.

Money granted from the county’s Conservation Futures Program can also be used for some development to purchased parcels. “Some of the limited improvements at both sites could consist of limited parking, trails and picnic areas,” Colinas said.

A total of 15 cities, park districts and farmland trusts are competing for the county conservation funds. The City of Mountlake Terrace is seeking more than $1.4 million for the purchase of three undeveloped parcels, two along Hall Creek and the Interurban Trail in near the Nelson Business Park and one next to Terrace Creek Park in the 5000 block of 228th Street Southwest. Mountlake Terrace officials go before the conservation futures board on Wednesday.

Presentations to the conservation futures board from the 15 jurisdictions seeking funds take place Aug. 20, 21 and 23 at Willis D. Tucker Community Park in Snohomish. The advisory board will recommend to the Snohomish County Council how the money should be divided up among the applicants; the council will decide who will be granted funds in October.

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